Battling the strains of acquiring visa, work permits, sponsorship and equipment isn’t easy but local bands won’t give up
Consider meeting an internet acquaintance for the first time, except you’re taking a long-haul flight and paying a few lakhs to go and see them and hope they make good on their promise of giving you a string of shows and everything else they’ve promised. Mumbai death metal band Gutslit’s bassist Gurdip Singh Narang, who has plotted out a two-week tour of Asia in September, says, “The amount of research one has to do is at par with the amount of research Indian parents put in when it comes to an arranged marriage.”
Uddipan Sarmah, the entrepreneurial front man of post - rock band Aswekeepsearching, says the toughest part is “to make people believe in us.” After two years of establishing friendly contacts with Swedish instrumental act Pg.Lost and American prog band Tides of Man and more in Europe, there’s a 15-date tour coming up in May. “It’s a completely different business model [compared to touring in India],” Sarmah says.
Getting there
The Mumbai-based band have saved up from shows and merchandise sales to put it into a tour. With the tour dates confirmed, the next step involves getting an invitation letter from the hosts—in the case of Aswekeepsearching, it’s Dunk! Festival and their supporting bands— that mentions each traveling members’ names, passport numbers and dates of visiting. While filing for a visa in Europe as well as in the States, artists are also required to send in proof of confirmed accommodation, bank statements to prove regular income and for Europe, even confirmed flight tickets.
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av RollingStone India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 2018-utgaven av RollingStone India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SPICE WORLD
Ice Spice ignored the haters, commanded our attention, and became a new kind of star. Next up: a great debut album
Pritam: THE HIT MAKER
INSIDE THE MIND OF HINDI FILM MUSIC DIRECTOR PRITAM CHAKRABORTY, WHO RECENTLY WON HIS FIRST NATIONAL AWARD FOR BRAHMASTRA: PART ONE - SHIVA, ON HOW HE CREATES SCORES THAT ENDURE AND SONGS THAT CLOCK MILLIONS OF STREAMS
K-Drama Flashback: 'My Name'
'My Name,' starring Han So-hee in the titular role, deftly subverts gender norms in society via a story of relentless fight for revenge
LAST NIGHT I DREAMT I WENT TO SILENT HILL AGAIN
The 'Silent Hill 2' Remake has you returning to that restless dream from 23 years ago
FIFTY FIFTY: 'WE'LL CONTINUE TO SHOW OUR BEST SELVES'
Fifty Fifty's single 'Cupid' was a viral hit. The K-pop girl group is back with renewed vigor, releasing its new album, 'Love Tune.' The following interview covers details, insights, and anecdotes
EXCISE DEPT: 'IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CREATE STRONG, BOLD CONTRASTS'
From An Armory Of Instruments To Personal Stories Told With An Uncharacteristic Straightforwardness, The Delhi/Goa Band Are Taking Over The World With Their Latest Full-Length
Mali is Heading to SXSW Sydney in October
For the longest time I have known that my music has a significant market outside the country,' says the Chennai/Mumbai pop artist
Ji Chang-wook, Lee Jun-ho, and Cha Eun-woo to Star in Superhero K-Dramas
Features the upcoming 'Twelve,' 'Cashero,' and 'The Wonder Fools' with the Korean stars in exciting new roles
Yoon Seobin Makes a Stylish Comeback with 'Rizz'
The Korean actor and singer well-known for starring in the K-drama Kissable Lips' returns to the music scene after a 10 months hiatus
Markio Tanaldo Pours Out Emotions in 'Mera Koi Na'
The Arunachal Pradesh singer-songwriter's second release is a poignant Hindi song that pays tribute to his late father